Burial receptacles and the method of encasing such receptacles in a preservative material



P. C. DOYLE ETAL Sept. 21, 1965 BURIAL RECEPTACLES AND THE METHOD OF ENGASING SUCH RECEPTACLES IN A PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL Filed Aprll 14, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. .FJJ I INVENTORS Philip C. Doyle .Phi i C.Do Ze Jr. BY W ATTORNEY Sept. 21, 1965 P. c. DOYLE ETAL. 3,205,900

BURIAL RECEPTACLES AND THE METHOD OF ENCASING SUCH RECEPTACLES IN A PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL Filed April 14, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Phillip C.Doyle P if? C.D yle Jr. B 1% ATTORNE United States Patent BURIAL RECEPTACLES AND THE METHOD OF ENCASIN G SUCH RECEPTACLES IN A PRESERV- ATlVE MATERIAL Philip C. Doyle and Philip C. Doyle, In, both of 21011 Maplewood Ave., Rocky River, Ohio Filed Apr. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 103,094 7 Claims. (Cl. 52-128) The present invention relates to the combination of a burial receptacle, a preservative encasement for the receptacle, and means, including a frame and a lid resting upon the frame for supporting the earth while the receptacle is being and after it has been encased within the preservative material. More particularly, it relates to an improved method of preserving a burial receptacle and the body interred therein after the receptacle has been placed in a grave and the grave has been filled with earth.

Because wooden caskets soon decay, they are not recommended by morticians. Even caskets more expensive than wood, however, are not entirely satisfactory. For instance, caskets formed of a ferrous metal, such as iron or steel, are subject to rust and those composed of a copper alloy, such as bronze, are subject to electrolysis when the casket is exposed to water or moisture. When concrete vaults are provided for holding a casket containing a body, the vault soon fills with water. It has also been suggested that the casket be encased in a layer of concrete or asphalt prior to burial. Such a method of preserving the casket, however, increases its weight and if asphalt is used, it may adhere to the hands of those carrying the casket or may rub off upon the clothes of people with which it comes into contact.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide an improved structure including a burial casket, preserving means for the casket and the body interred therein, a frame, and a lid resting upon the frame upon which the earth filled into the grave is supported while the casket is being and after it has been encased with the preservative material. In the broadest aspects, however, we have provided an improved process of burial in which means are provided for supporting a casket containing a body in a grave in a position in which a preservative material, such as asphalt, may be poured in a liquid or semiviscous state around the casket and which sets within the grave to form an encasement around the casket which is adherent to the casket. In accordance with our invention, the casket is maintained in spaced relation to the bottom and walls of the grave and if desired, the earth may be filled within the grave while the funeral party is present and the casket may be encased within the preservative material by cemetery workers after the funeral party has left.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide in combination with a casket and a body interred therein, an encasement for the casket composed of a preservative material, together with means for supporting the earth above the casket while the casket is being and after it has been encased in the preservative material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process of encasing a burial receptacle, such as a casket, in a preservative material after the burial receptacle has been deposited in a grave.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved process of encasing a casket in a preservative material after the casket has been deposited in a grave and the grave has been filled with earth.

Our invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an open grave, showing a side elevational view of a casket arranged within the grave and end views of a plurality of asphalt 3,206,900 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 ice blocks resting upon the bottom of the grave upon which the casket is supported;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a frame that may be utilized in our improved process;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a supporting asphalt block, a plurality of which are utilized in our improved process;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the casket, a frame surrounding the casket, and side, top, and supporting asphalt blocks;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 6 taken on a plane passing through the line 55 of FIG. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows but showing an end wall of the casket;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of an assembly including the casket, a frame, a plurality of asphalt blocks associated with the frame for spacing the casket from the walls of the grave, an earth supporting lid, and a pair of pipes removably connected to the supporting lid; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the casket and a cross sectional view of the preservative material for the casket and a lid for supporting the earth above the casket.

In practicing our invention, a grave 1 is first dug in the usual manner as shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of asphalt blocks 2 which are preferably in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms are then placed in spaced relation on the bottom of the grave with their base portions resting on the bottom of the grave and their apices extending upwardly therefrom, a casket containing the body to be buried is lowered into the grave to a position in which it rests upon asphalt blocks 2, and means in combination with the asphalt blocks resting upon the bottom of the grave are provided for maintaining the casket in a position in which it may be entirely surrounded with a preservative material, such as asphalt, Portland cement, or a synthetic resin. The preserving material must be of a type that prevents the entrance of air and water into the casket and thus prevents electrolysis when the casket is composed of a copper alloy, such as bronze, or rust in case the casket is formed of a ferrous metal, such as iron or steel. When a bituminous material, such as asphalt, is utilized as the preserving material, a bacteria preventive substance, such as copper naphthenate, formaldehyde, or coal tar, is preferably added to the asphalt in an amount suificient to prevent bacteria from attacking the preserving material. An amount of the bacteria preventing substance ranging from approximately 1% to 3% of the final product has been found to be sufiicient for this purpose.

When asphalt is to be utilized in preserving the casket, it preferably has a melting point of approximately 138 to 148 F. as determined by the Ball and Ring method and is known as Dead Level Asphalt, although we do not desire to be limited to an asphalt in general as the preservative material, or to the particular asphalt mentioned. For purposes of illustration, however, asphalt will be described as the preservative material that is utilized in our improved process.

After the casket has been lowered in place within the grave as shown in FIG. 1, means in addition to the asphalt blocks 2 are provided for maintaining the casket in a position so that it may be completely encased in the preservative material after the grave has been filled with earth. For this purpose, a frame is provided which fits around and is spaced at all points from the casket. The frame may be of any desired type that is suitable for this purpose. It may, for instance, be rectangular in shape as shown in FIG. 2 in which the frame, which is designated generally by the numeral 4, consists of upper and lower side rails 5 and 5a and upper and lower end rails 6 and 6a spaced apart by end pieces 7 and 8 and central pieces 9. The frame may be constructed of any desirable material having sufficient strength to support the lid and earth which is subsequently filled into the grave and rests upon the lid. It may, for instance, be formed of metal or plastic and is of sufiicient size so that when it is placed over the casket, there will be a space between the frame and both the side and end walls of the casket for receiving the asphalt.

When asphalt is utilized as the preservative, blocks 2 which may also be formed of asphalt and additional asphalt blocks are provided to center the casket so that it may be completely encased in the asphalt. For this purpose, an asphalt block 10 may be arranged at one end and an asphalt block 11 may be arranged at the opposite end of the casket. One end of block 10 rests upon the bottom rail 6a at one end of the frame and one end of block 11 rests upon the bottom rail "6a at the opposite end of the casket and the upper end of each asphalt block extends up to or approximately up to the. top of the casket. As shown, asphalt blocks 10 and 11" are in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms with the apex of block 10 engaging one end of the casket and the apex of block 11 engaging the other end of the casket and the base of block 10 is arranged in proximity to or in a position to engage one end wall of the grave and the base of block 11 is arranged in proximity to or in a position to engage the other end wall of the grave.

To maintain thecasket centrally of the frame, asphalt blocks 12 and 12a are arranged on one side of the casket and asphalt blocks 13 and 13a are arranged on the op- .posite side of the casket. The lower end of each of the side blocks 12 and 12a engage one of the lower rails a ,of the frame and the lower end of each of the side blocks 13 and 13a engage the opposite lower rail 5a of the frame. Upper asphalt blocks 14, 14a, and 14b are also provided which engage a lid 15 to prevent upward movement of the casket in the event that the preservative material has sufiicient specific gravity to buoy the casket upwardly. The blocks to 13:2, inclusive, are also preferably in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms as shown and may be assembled in place prior to the interposition of the frame -4 into the grave. For instance, theend block 10 may be superposed upon one of the lower end rails 6a and the other end block 11 may be superposed upon the other end rail 6a, and in a like manner, side blocks 12' and 12a may be superposed upon one of the lower side rails 5a and side blocks 13 and 1311 may be superposed upon the other lower side rails 5a before the frame is interposed around the casket, or after the frame is inserted in place, it may be raised a sufiicient distance to provide sulficient clearance between the top rails and the casket to insert the end and side blocks in place after which the frame may be again lowered into place. The blocks upon each of the lower end rails are of such height that they extend upwardly to substantially the top of the casket when the frame is interposed around the casket and each is of such size that its apex slidingly engages the inner portion of the casket and its base slidably engages the end wall of the grave adjacent thereto and the blocks on the side rails are of such height that they extend upwardly substantially to the top of the casket and each is of such size that its apex slidably engages a side wall of the casket and its base portion is in proximity to the side wall of the grave adjacent thereto. The top blocks 14, 14a and 14b which are also preferably in the form of triangularlyshaped prisms are then superposed upon the top of'the casket with their base portions resting upon the casket and their apices extending upwardly therefrom.

In accordance with our invention, the preservative material is applied after the casket, together with the body, is lowered within the grave and to prevent the earth which is subsequently filled into the grave from falling into the space surrounding the casket, lid fits over the frame 4 and if desired, may extend slightly beyond the frame to keep dirt from falling into the space between the frame and the opposite sides and ends of the grave, or if desired, a layer of stiff canvas or linoleum that is slightly flexible, or a resilient metal, maybe tacked to the opposite sides and ends of the upper rails of the frame which yieldingly engages the opposite sides and ends of the grave when the frame is lowered into the grave.

Means are also provided for flowing the preservative around the casket after the grave has been filled with dirt. For this purpose, the lid 15 is provided with two aligned apertures, one of which is arranged a short distance from one end and the other of which is arranged a short distance from the other end of the lid and a pipe fitting 16 is applied to each aperture. Each of the fittings consists of a short upwardly extending cylindrical portion which is threaded to receive the lower end of a pipe and an annular flange 17 which may be bolted or otherwise secured to the lid 15. Pipes 18 and 19 which are threaded to the respective cylindrical portions of the fittings are of sufiicient size to receive the preservative material. For instance, when asphalt is used, the pipes may be approximately three inches in diameter. Both of the pipes extend at least even with and preferably above the level of the grave and to enable workers to know when the casket has been encased with the preservative material, one of the pipes is longer than the other. As shown pipe 18 is longer than pipe 19 so that when molten asphalt is poured into pipe 18, the air will be forced out through pipe 19 and when the asphalt rises to the upper end of pipe 19, the workers know that the encasement of the casket is complete. In practice, pipe 18 may be approximately one foot longer than pipe 19. Pipes 18 and 19 are provided with caps 18a and 19a, respectively, to prevent dirt from falling down through the pipe when the grave is filled in with earth.

It is customary at the present time for the funeral party to leave before the grave is filled with earth and consequently it does not observe the filling of the grave or the encasement of the casket with the preservative. Sometimes, however, the ,funeral party desires to stay until earth is actually filled into the grave and our improved process is particularly desirable in such cases because the encasement of the casket in the preserving material is effected after the grave is filled with dirt. In either case, however, the casket is first lowered to a position in which it rests on the lower asphalt blocks, the frame is setto surround the casket and rest upon the lower wall of the grave with the end and side blocks arranged in place. The blocks 14, 14a and 14b are then placed over the top of the casket with their base portions engaging the casket and the lid 15 with pipes 18 and 19 threaded to the respective upwardly extending cylindrical portion of the fittings, is then placed on the frame. The lid 15 may be of any desired material having suflicient strength to resist the pressure of the dirt which is filled into the grave. It

may, for instance, be composed of wood, metal, or plastic material, and, may be painted or otherwise ornamented to provide an esthetic appearance in the event that the burial party desires to remain for the actual burial. After the lid 15 with pipes 18 and 19 threaded to the fittings has been lowered in place, the grave is filled with dirt. Caps 18a and 19:: are provided because the dirt after it is filled into the grave is rounded to provide a mound which may cover the pipes 18 and 19 or in the event that the pipes are left open, dirt may accidently fall within the pipes. The funeral party then leaves and the casket is encased in the preservative material by the cemetery workers. For this purpose, the caps 18a and 19a are removed and if asphalt having a melting point of approximately 138 to 148 F. is used as the preservative material, it may be first heated to a temperature at which it; flows readily but at a temperature below that at which itadversely alfects a casket even though the casket may be composed of Wood, such as a temperature of approximately 150 to F. At such temperature, the asphalt is,

in the form of a liquid that may be readily poured. The material for preventing destruction of the asphalt by bacteria is next added and stirred into the molten asphalt and the preserving material is then poured into the longer pipe 18 and flows around the casket and the exposed portions of the blocks and finally rises in the other pipe 19. The blocks being formed of asphalt are at least superfically melted by the hot molten asphalt and becomes a part thereof. Pipes 18 and 19 are then threaded from the fittings secured to lid 15 and are pulled out and after being cleaned may be utilized for subsequent burial operations. The holes formed by the removal of the pipes 18 and 19 may of course be filled with earth. Because the casket with the body interred therein is encased in a preserving material, it is not essential in our improved process that a high-priced casket shall be utilized. For instance, the casket may be composed of wood, sheet metal, or cast iron.

In the event that the earth in which the casket with its preserving casing is interred does not nourish bacteria, the material for preventing bacteria from attacking the asphalt may be omitted and while asphalt is preferred as the preserving material because it has excellent preserving qualities and is available in large quantities at low cost, it is to be distinctly understood that in accordance with our invention, the casket may be encased within other preservative materials. For instance, a slurry of a hydraulic cement, such as Portland cement, may be utilized in which case the finely divided cement may be mixed with sufiicient water to form a slurry that may be poured through the pipe 18 and which will flow around the easket and encompasses the exposed portions of the blocks and upwardly through pipe 19 and when the cement sets, it forms an encasement around the casket and the body interred therein. When a hydraulic cement is used, the blocks may be formed either of asphalt or they may be formed of a hydraulic cement.

Organic synthetic resins which have comparatively high strength in their fully polymerized state may also be used as the preserving material. Resins of the polyester or epoxide type are particularly suitable for this purpose although other synthetic resins which set at normal temperatures may be used, such as a phenolformaldehyde resin, a melamine-formaldehyde resin, or resins of the silicone or furnane type.

Polyester resins may be prepared by the reaction of a dihydric alcohol, such as ethylene glycol or one of its homologues and the combination of an unsaturated dibasic acid or its anhydride, such as maleic acid, maleic anhydride, or formic acid and a saturated dibasic or monobasic acid having a comparatively long carbon chain, such as adipic acid, sebacic acid, or a linseed oil fatty acid. The saturated dibasic acid or the monobasic acid when present increases the flexibility of the preserving material so that if a comparatively rigid preserving material is desired, the saturated dibasic acid or the monobasic acid may be omitted or the amount that is present may be small.

In preparing polyester resins for use as the preserving material, the water formed during the reaction is first removed and a monomer which preferably has a double linkage between one or more of its carbon atoms, such as styrene, is added, together with a catalyst, such as benzoyl peroxide or methyl ethyl ketone, in an amount ranging from approximately .5 to 4% of the resin content. Promoters for expediting the setting time of the resin may also be added, such as dimethyl aniline or cobalt naphthenate.

The epoxide resins are formed by the reaction of epichlorhydrin and a polyhydroxyl compound, such as diphenol propane, to which a curing agent, such as metaphenylene diamine or phthalic anhydride is added in the amount of approximately 8 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the resin.

Polyester and epoxide resins are particularly suitable for the preserving material because they set at low temperature without the loss of volatiles. They may be poured in their preliminary polymerized state through pipe 18 and upon further polymerization set at normal temperatures to provide an encasement for the casket and the body interred therein.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a casket having an interior shaped to receive a body for interment in a grave having a bottom wall, and side and end walls spaced at a suificient distance from each other to receive the casket and to provide a space between the casket and the side and end Walls of the grave, a plurality of spaced blocks composed essentially of a preservative material and resting upon the bottom wall of the grave upon which said casket rests, a rectangularly-shaped frame surrounding said casket and being composed of upper and lower side and end rails, the lower end and side rails of which rest upon the bottom of the grave in proximity to the respective end and side walls of the grave, a block composed essentially of a preservative material resting upon the upper surface of each of the lower end rails, the inner portion of each of which engages said casket and the outer portion of each of which is in engagement with the wall of the grave adjacent thereto, a pair of blocks composed essentially of a preservative material resting on one of the lower side rails and extending upwardly substantially to the top of said casket with the inner portion of each block being in engagement with the casket and the outer portion of each being substantially in engagement with the side wall of the grave adjacent thereto, a second pair of blocks composed essentially of a preservative material resting on the other lower side rail of the frame and extending upwardly substantially to the top of said casket and the outer portion of each being substantially in engagement with the other side wall of the grave, a plurality of blocks composed essentially of a preservative material resting upon the top of the casket, a lid resting upon the upper side and end rails of the frame for supporting dirt above the casket, and an encasement of the preservative material surrounding the casket and encompassing the exposed portions of the blocks.

2. In combination, a casket having an interior shaped to receive a body for interment in a grave having a bottom wall, and side and end walls spaced at a sufficient distance from each other to receive the casket and to provide a space between the casket and the side and end walls of the grave, a plurality of spaced blocks composed essentially of asphalt resting upon the bottom wall of the grave upon which said casket rests, a rectangularly-shaped frame surrounding said casket and being composed of upper and lower side and end rails, the lower end and side rails of which rest upon the bottom of the grave, a block composed essentially of asphalt having one end resting upon the upper surface of each of the lower end rails and extending upwardly to substantially the top of the casket, the inner portion of each of which engages said casket and the outer portion of each of which engages the end wall of the grave adjacent thereto, a pair of blocks composed essentially of asphalt resting on one of the lower side rails of said frame and extending upwardly to substantially the top wall of the casket with the inner portion of each block being in engagement with the casket and the outer portion of each block being substantially in engagement with the side wall of the grave adjacent thereto, a second pair of blocks composed essentially of asphalt resting upon the other lower side rail of said frame and extending upwardly to substantially the top of the casket with the inner portion of each of the second pair of blocks being in engagement with the casket and the outer portion of each of the second pair of blocks being substantially in engagement with the other side wall of the grave, a plurality of blocks composed essentially of asphalt resting upon the top of the casket, a lid resting upon the upper side and end rails of the frame, and an encasement composed essentially of asphalt surrounding the casket and blocks and forming a coating of asphalt around the exposed portion of each of the blocks which is COaliSCCnt with an outer portion of the asphalt of each bloc 3. In combination, a casket having an interior shaped to receive a body for interment in a grave having a bottom wall, and side and end walls spaced from each other at a sufficient distance to receive the casket and to provide a space between the casket and the side and end walls of the grave, a plurality of blocks in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms composed essentially of asphalt, each having its base resting upon the bottom wall of the grave and its apex extending upwardly to provide supports upon which said casket rests, a frame having upper and lower end and side rails arranged between the casket and the adjacent end and side walls of the grave with the lower end and side rails resting upon the bottom of the grave, a block in the shape of a triangularly-shaped prism and composed essentially of asphalt having one end resting upon one of the lower end rails and extending upwardly to substantially the top of the casket with its apex engaging the casket and its base being in engagement with one end wall of the grave and a second similar block composed essentially of asphalt having its lower end resting on the lower rail of the frame at the opposite end of the grave and extending upwardly substantially to the top of the casket with its apex in engagement with one end of the casket and its base in engagement with the other end wall of the grave, a pair of blocks in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms, each composed essentially of asphalt, arranged between one side wall of the casket and one side wall of the grave, each of which has its lower end resting upon the lower rail at one side of the casket and extending upwardly substantially to the top of the casket with its apex engaging one side of the casket and its base being substantially in engagement with one side wall of the grave and a second pair of spaced blocks in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms, each composed essentially of asphalt, arranged between the other side of the casket and the other side wall of the grave, each of which has its lower end resting on the lower rail at the opposite side of the casket and extending upwardly to the top of the casket and each of which has its apex engaging the opposite side wall of the casket and its base being substantially in engagement with the other side wall of the grave, a plurality of blocks in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms, each of which is composed essentially of asphalt and each having its base resting upon the top wall of the casket, a lid resting on the upper side and end rails of said frame for supporting earth filled into the grave, and asphalt surrounding the casket and the exposed portions of said blocks and forming at least a superficial layer of asphalt around the blocks which is coalescent with the asphalt in the outer exposed portion of each block.

4. The process of burying in a grave having oppositely disposed side and end walls a rectangularly-shaped casket having a body interred therein and preserving the casket and the body after burial which comprises placing on the bottom of the grave spaced blocks formed of a preservative material, lowering the casket on said blocks, providing a rectangularly-shaped frame composed of upper and lower side and end rails and means for spacing the upper rails from the lower rails at a distance greater than the height of the casket when the casket is supported on said blocks, disposing a block composed essentially of a preservative material which is approximately the same height as the casket upon each of the lower end rails and a pair of spaced blocks composed essentially of a preservative material and which are of substantially the same height as the casket in spaced relation on each of the lower side rails of the frame, inserting the frame with the preservative blocks associated therewith in place around the casket with the lower end and side rails of the frame resting upon the bottom of the grave and the block disposed on each of the lower end rails of the frame having its inner portion in sliding engagement with an end wall of the casket and its outer portion in sliding engagement with an end wall of the grave and the inner portion of each block resting on each of the lower rails of the frame being in sliding engagement with a side wall of the casket and its outer end portion being arranged in proximity to the adjacent side wall of the grave, superposing a plurality of blocks composed essentially of a preservative material upon the top of the casket, placing upon the upper end and side walls of said frame a'lid having a pair of spaced openings therein and a pair of pipes extending upwardly to a position beyond the line of earth surrounding the grave, one of which pipes communicates with one of the openings and the other of which communicates with the other opening in the lid, filling dirt into the grave which is supported by said lid, and then introducing a sufficient amount of a fiowable preservative material which sets at normal temperature through one of said pipes to cause the preservative material to surround and encase said casket and the exposed portions of said blocks.

5. The process of burying in a grave having oppositely disposed side and end walls a rectangularly-shaped casket having a body interred therein and preserving the casket and the body after burial which comprises placing on the bottom of the grave spaced blocks composed essentially of a preservative material in the form of triangularlyshaped prisms, each having its base resting on the bottom of the grave and its apex extending upwardly therefrom, lowering the casket with the body therein into the grave to a position in which it rests on the apices of said blocks, providing a rectangularly-shaped frame composed of upper and lower side and end rails and means for spacing the upper rails from the lower rails a distance greater than the height of the casket when the casket is supported on said blocks, disposing a block in the form of a triangularly-shaped prism which is composed essentially .of a preservative material and which is approximately the same height as the casket upon each of the lower end rails of the frame and a pair of spaced'blocks in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms and composed essentially of a preservative material and each of which is of substantially the same height as the casket in spaced relation on each of the lower side rails of the frame, inserting the frame with the preservative blocks associated therewith in place around the casket with the lower end and side rails of the frame resting upon the bottom of the grave and the block disposed on each of the lower end rails of the frame having its apex arranged in sliding engagement with an end wall of the casket and its base arranged in sliding engagement with the end wall of the grave in proximity thereto and the inner portion of each block resting on each of the lower side rails of the frame having its apex arranged in sliding engagement with a side wall of the casket and its base arranged in proximity to the adjacent side wall of the grave, superposing a plurality of blocks composed essentially of a preservative material and in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms upon the top of the casket with the base of each block resting upon the casket and its apex extending upwardly therefrom, placing upon the upper end and side walls of said frame a lid having a pair of spaced openings therein and a pair of pipes extending upwardly to a position above the line of earth surrounding the grave, one of which pipes communicates with one of the openings and the other of which communicates with the other opening in the lid, filling dirt into the grave which is supported by said lid and then introducing a suflicient amount of a flowable preservative material which sets at normal temperature through one of said pipes to cause the preservative material to surround and encase said casket and the exposed portions of said blocks.

6. The process of burying in a grave having oppositely disposed side and end Walls a rectangularly-shaped casket having a body interred therein and preserving the casket and the body after burial which comprises placing on the bottom of the grave spaced blocks composed essentially of asphalt, lowering the casket with the body therein into the grave to a position in which it rests on said blocks, providing a rectangularly-shaped frame composed of upper and lower side and end rails and means for spacing the upper rails from the lower rails at a distance greater than the height of the casket when the casket is supported on said blocks, disposing a block consisting essentially of asphalt which is approximately the same height as the casket upon each of the lower end rails and a pair of spaced blocks composed essentially of asphalt on each of the lower side rails of the frame, inserting the frame with the asphalt blocks associated therewith in place around the casket with the lower end and side rails of the frame resting upon the bottom of the grave and the block disposed on each of the lower end rails having its inner portion in sliding engagement with an end wall of the casket and its outer portion in sliding engagement with the end wall of the grave in proximity thereto and the inner portion of each block resting on each of the lower side rails of the frame being in sliding engagement with the side wall of the casket and its outer end portion being arranged in proximity to the side wall of the grave adjacent thereto, superposing a plurality of blocks composed essentially of asphalt upon the top of the casket, placing upon the upper side and end rails of said frame a lid having a pair of spaced openings therein and a pair of pipes extending upwardly therefrom to a position beyond the line of earth surrounding the grave, one of which pipes communicates with one of the openings and the other of which communicates with the other opening in the lid, filling dirt into the grave which is supported by said lid, and then introducing a sufiicient amount of flowable asphalt which sets at normal temperature through one of said pipes to cause it to surround and encase said casket and the exposed portions of said blocks.

7. The process of burying in a grave having oppositely disposed side and end walls a rectangularly-shaped casket having a body interred therein and preserving the casket and the body after burial which comprises placing on the bottom of the grave spaced blocks composed essentially of asphalt and in the form of triangularly shaped prisms, each having its base resting upon the bottom of the grave and its apex extending upwardly therefrom, lowering the casket with the body therein into the grave to a position in which it rests on the apices of said blocks, providing a rectangularly-shaped frame composed of upper and lower side and end rails and means for spacing the upper rails from the lower rails a distance greater than the height of the casket when the casket is supported on the apices of said blocks, disposing a block in the form of a triangularly-shaped prism which is composed essentially of asphalt and which is approximately the same height as the casket upon each of the lower end rails of the frame and a pair of spaced blocks in the form of triangularlyshaped prisms and composed essentially of asphalt, each of which is of substantially the same height as the casket, in spaced relation on each of the lower side rails of the frame, inserting the frame with the asphalt blocks associated therewith in place around the casket with the lower end and side rails of the frame resting upon the bottom of the grave and the block disposed on each of the lower end rails of the frame having its apex arranged in sliding engagement with an end wall of the casket and its base arranged in sliding engagement with the end wall of the grave in proximity thereto and the inner portion of each block resting on each of the lower side rails of the frame having its apex arranged in sliding engagement with a side Wall of the casket and its base arranged in proximity to the adjacent side wall of the grave, superposing a plurality of blocks composed essentially of asphalt in the form of triangularly-shaped prisms upon the top of the casket with the base of each block resting upon the casket and its apex extending upwardly therefrom, placing upon the upper end and side walls of said frame a lid having a pair of spaced openings therein and a pair of pipes extending upwardly therefrom to a position beyond the line of earth surrounding the grave, each of which pipes communicates with one of the openings and the other of which communicates with the other opening in the lid, filling dirt into the grave which is supported by said lid, and then introducing a suflicient amount of flowable asphalt which sets at normal temperature through one of said pipes to cause it to surround and encase said casket and the exposed portions of said blocks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 478,102 7/92 Gray 94 806,458 12/05 Brady 276 1,024,527 4/12 Searle 5084 1,137,696 4/ 15 Campbell 2711 1,549,852 8/25 Bissonette 27-3 1,668,728 5/28 Norrie 273 2,092,697 9/37 Gramelspacher 27-2 2,093,809 9/37 Holme 2735 2,269,455 1/42 Hagemeyer 22-134 2,312,709 3/43 Gleason et al 2730 2,313,517 3/43 Cameron 22-134 2,580,025 12/51 Holmes 106--15 2,691,804 10/54 Lucien et al. 22134 2,699,002 1/55 Sylvestro 22134 2,780,350 2/57 Simon et al. 50258 2,787,557 4/57 Christensen 10615 X FOREIGN PATENTS 367,364 1/23 Germany.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, M. HENSON WOOD, JR.,

BENJAMIN BENDETT, Examiners. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A CASKET HAVING AN INTERIOR SHAPED TO RECEIVE A BODY FOR INTERMENT IN A GRAVE HAVING A BOTTOM WALL, AND SIDE AND END WALLS SPACED AT A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER TO RECEIVE THE CASKET AND TO PROVIDE A SPACE BETWEEN THE CASKET AND THE SIDE AND END WALLS OF THE GRAVE, A PLURALITY OF SPACED BLOCKS COMPOSED ESSENTIALLY OF A PRESERATIVE MATERIAL AND RESTING UPON THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE GRAVE UPON WHICH SAID CASKET RESTS, A RECTANGULARLY-SHAPED FRAME SURROUNDING SAID CASKET AND BEING COMPOSED OF UPPER AND LOWER SIDE AND END RAILS, THE LOWER END AND SIDE RAILS OF WHICH REST UPON THE BOTTOM OF THE GRAVE IN PROXIMITY TO THE RESPECTIVE END AND SIDE WALLS OF THE GRAVE, A BLOCK COMPOSED ESSENTIALLY OF A PRESERATIVE MATERIAL RESTING UPON THE UPPER SURFACE OF EACH OF THE LOWER END RAILS, THE INNER PORTION OF EACH WHICH ENGAGES SAID CASKET AND THE OUTER PORTION OF EACH OF WHICH IS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WALL OF THE GRAVE ADJACENT THERETO, A PAIR OF BLOCKS COMPOSED ESSENTIALLY OF A PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL RESTING ON ONE OF THE LOWER SIDE RAILS AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE TOP OF SAID CASKET WITH THE INNER PORTION OF EACH BLOCK BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CASKET AND THE OUTER PORTION OF EACH BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDE WALL OF THE GRAVE ADJACENT THERETO, A SECOND PAIR OF BLOCKS COMPOSED ESSENTIALLY OF A PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL RESTING ON THE OTHER LOWER SIDE RAIL OF THE FRAME AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE TOP OF SAID CASKET AND THE OUTER PORTION OF EACH BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER SIDE WALL OF THE GRAVE, A PLURALITY OF BLOCKS COMPOSED ESSENTIALLY OF A PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL RESTING UPON THE TOP OF THE CASKET, A LID RESTING UPON THE UPPER SIDE AND END RAILS OF THE FRAME FOR SUPPORTING DIRT ABOVE THE CASKET, AND AN ENCASEMENT OF THE PRESERVATIVE MATERIAL SURROUNDING THE CASKET AND ENCOMPASSING THE EXPOSED PORTIONS OF THE BLOCKS. 